


Aftermath

by cantina



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post Season 3, it's basically just 3k of anxiety and fluff, post 3x20, there is no real conflict to this its just my excuse to write Cyrus and TJ, this begins as canon ends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-27 19:49:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20051596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantina/pseuds/cantina
Summary: In the aftermath of Andi's party, Cyrus and TJ try to figure out what they mean to each other.AKA it's a well known fact that the gays are bad at communicating, and so here is a 3K fic of Tyrus continuing to be dumbasses even after they are confirmed canon by disney





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Aight so I appear to have a knack of writing fics for fandoms right as the show ends, so this is the first and potentially only piece of andi mack I will ever write. I will hold out hope for a tyrus spin-off show until the day I die tho.

Cyrus couldn't remember much between The-Moment-On-The-Bench and the end of the party.

He had vague impressions of cake and dancing and endless amounts of photographs, but it felt dream-like. His mind kept drifting back to dark night and fairy lights, the quiet of the garden and the slight dampness of the bench. How TJ's hair was slightly messier than it had been at the start of the party, how the planes of his face appeared soft and open, how Cyrus could track the reluctance-embarrasment-acceptance-relief that played out across his face as he revealed his name. The way TJ was sitting close enough that Cyrus could see his own reflection in his eyes.

Then of course came the heart-stopping moment Cyrus was certain he would never forget: when the stuttered sentences faded to silence, and their actions spoke intention rather than their words, and TJ's hand closed around his own. Cyrus was fairly certain that the joy and relief he had felt in the second after would never be paralleled if he lived for a hundred years.

It's something Cyrus had never dared to hope for, something he'd never allowed himself to imagine. Heck, he'd only figured out the other week that the dizziness and warmth and sweaty palms that broke out whenever TJ was around meant that he actually had a crush on the blonde. It had been that moment where he'd been freaking out over giving him the shirt, nerves pulling him this way and that, turning his organs into tug-of-war ropes. It was the sudden drop of his heart like a stone into his stomach when he'd seen him on the swings with Kira, the sick feeling that had risen in his throat and the tears that had prickled at the backs of his eyes that had forced Cyrus to admit to himself what he'd been repressing for weeks. He had a big gay crush on TJ Kippen.

In some ways it had felt similar to how he'd reacted to Jonah, back when his friend had sparked his 12-year-old self's gay awakening. But there were differences, sprouted from the fact that he'd never had to be disillusioned to TJ's perfectness in the same way that he'd had become aware of Jonah's faults and imperfections. 

He had started out hating TJ, and the feelings he held had grown alongside TJ's own growth of character. Cyrus always felt a little spark of pride when comparing in his mind the playful and sweet TJ he knew now to the spiteful and petty TJ he'd first been introduced to. Cyrus couldn't take anywhere near full credit for the change in his - friend? boyfriend? - but he knew that he had played a role in helping TJ to take down his defences and uncover his nicer side. It made his heart skip to think of how hard TJ had tried to become the person Cyrus always knew he could be.

At some point, they had rejoined the party, mingling with their friends but always touching. It was all a hazy blur as all his mind could focus on was how fast his heart was beating, the whirlwind of butterflies in his stomach and the fact that  _ TJ held his hand, TJ held his hand, he, Cyrus Goodman, interlocked fingers with the captain of the basketball team, Thelonius Jaggar Kippen. _

And then TJ had gone home, filtered out with the rest of the crowd leaving only the Good Hair Crew + Jonah and the Mack family behind. 

Cyrus had been woken up from his daze by the arrival of childhood photos and the announcment from Andi that she would be attending SAVA instead of the general high school with the rest of her friends. The knowledge stung, and although Cyrus knew that it would take a lot more than difference in school to break up their group, the thought still hung about. It was an irrational fear, but it was there all the same.

He, Buffy and Jonah left together after this, walking down the empty street in silence. It was Jonah who ended up breaking it, stopping outside his gate when the trio reached his house, and instead of leaving with a 'goodnight', he asked the question that had been hanging over their heads like a guillotine.

"You don't think…" his voice trailed off as he stared past them, eyes unfocused as his mind rested on potential futures. Then his gazed drifted down and locked with Cyrus' own. For a second Cyrus contemplated on how a few months ago, holding eye contact with Jonah would have set his heart off on a race. Whatever Jonah saw in his eyes compelled him, and he spoke up again. "Do you think that Andi going to a separate school will affect us? Do you think we'll loose her?" His voice was barely louder than a whisper, but it may as well have been a scream compared to the dead quiet of the night around them.

"No." Buffy shook her head, resolute as always. Cyrus nodded in agreement. "There might be a few changes, and we won't see each other as much as we used to, but we won't break apart. We're always going to be friends." 

Despite saying this, Cyrus still had a thread of doubt trailing through his thoughts, but he pushed it out. Jonah was obviously nervous, and although Buffy appeared certain, he knew that even she would have these worries, even if they were just midnight fears. Negativity wasn't going to help. It wasn't what his friends needed. Right now they needed reassurance, whether it turned out to be a lie or not.

He pulled the other two into a three way hug, a little awkward as they bumped together, but the feeling of them holding tight to one another grounded him. For now, his worries melted in the arms of his friends, and when he finally arrived home that night, he slept peacefully.

* * *

  
  
  


The next morning bought Cyrus new problems. 

When he woke up, the SAVA issue seemed far off and irrelevant to the present, a feeling that Cyrus never usually had with unresolved worries. The problem with this was that the reason Cyrus wasn't thinking about Andi was because he was thinking instead about TJ and The-Moment-On-The-Bench.

Thinking of the night before bought a smile to Cyrus' lips and made his heart swell in his chest. Thing is, Cyrus was by nature a fearful person. Practically anything could scare him, and although TJ had told him his name and held his hand, there hadn't been verbal confirmation of - well, anything! Cyrus had absolutely nothing to go on apart from a question and a yes.

Last night, everything had seemed so certain. TJ's hand in his own had given him confidence, and everything had been looking up. But  _ of course _ the second he'd gone Cyrus had started to feel a little doubt, because it was what he did best.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice that sounded a lot like Buffy yelled that he was being ridiculous and over thinking everything. He liked TJ, and TJ liked him back,  _ duh _ . But Cyrus was the king of over-thinking, so he pushed it aside and went back to worrying.

He got up and ready for the day. It was a Sunday, which ment a lie-in for most people, but Cyrus was an early riser, mostly because when he let himself lie around without anything to distract him, he ended up worrying about something. He poured a bowl of cereal and checked his phone. It was nearly 9 am so he didn't expect any messages, but to his surprise there was a single text lit up on his lock screen. It was from TJ, sent not even 10 minutes ago, asking Cyrus if he could meet him at the swings. His heart skipped, from a weird mixture of excitement and dread.

On one hand, he always loved seeing TJ. He was an amazing friend when he tried, fun to be around, thoughtful in his own unique way, and that wasn't even taking into account the fact of Cyrus' Big Gay Crush. On the other hand, last night had given him hope that TJ felt for him the same way, and Cyrus was now terrified that it had all been a misunderstanding, and that his hope would be ruined along with his and TJ's friendship. Or maybe that even if he did like him, he had only acted last night because Andi's party felt safe, but outside of it he didn't want anything else to do with Cyrus. And talking of Andi, what if it turned out to be a Jonah situation? What if they went around holding hands, but it wasn't a relationship. Cyrus knew that some people - note: Jonah - weren't a big fan of labels, but as the biggest worrier in all of Shadyside (you might even call him a proffessional) Cyrus needed a certain level of stability in boyfriend-boyfriend matters.

The Buffy voice groaned, and insisted that this was the biggest pile of BS it had ever heard. First of all, it said, even if TJ didn't like him back (which he  _ did _ , duh) he wouldn't abandon Cyrus for being gay. And if he liked Cyrus, he wasn't going to play around with his feelings, because as much as it pains to admit it, TJ was not  _ that  _ mean. Godamnit, last night 100% confirmed that TJ reciprocated his feelings, so he should stop being a baby and  _ get over it already! _

Cyrus scowled. He was beginning to get fed up of the Buffy voice and it's forceful optimism, and  _ yes _ he realised how ironic this was. Either way, he decided that he might as well talk to TJ and get it all sorted out. He unlocked his phone, which had turned itself off while Cyrus had been thinking, and tapped out a quick message saying that he would be there in 20.

He finished off his cereal, washed up his bowl and put it away, and slipped on his shoes. He sent a text to his mom in case she woke up and wondered where he was, and set off walking down towards the park. 

The journey was a fairly short one, so he arrived at the swingset several minutes before TJ, and sat down. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day, the sky cloudless and the air warm enough that Cyrus hadn't needed to grab a jacket on his way out the door. The park was completely barren, but the rustle of the trees in the breeze, the creak of the swings and the occasional chirping of birds kept it from being oppressively silent. Cyrus swung his legs slightly, humming his song under his breath.

It wasn't long until the crunch of leaves alerted him to TJ's arrival. Cyrus heard him coming up behind the swings, and saw him stop next to him out the corner of his eye. "Is this seat taken?" he asked jokingly as he sat down. Cyrus twisted slightly to stare at TJ, desperately holding back the grin that was a knes-jerk reaction to to to his presence. "Yes, I'm waiting for someone." TJ chuckled slightly at this, and Cyrus' heart felt suddenly light at the accomplishment of making the other boy laugh.

"Anyone important?" TJ asked, beginning to swing his own legs, climbing into the air slightly faster than Cyrys' pace. "Hmmm." Cyrus pretended to consider it, bringing his hand up to his face in a stereotypical 'thinking pose'. He stopped swinging while he did this, feeling off-balance with only one hand on the chain and his Big Gay Crush next to him. After a second, he dropped his hand back to the chain and dropped his gaze to his feet as he started up again. "Yeah. Yeah he is." He murmured, slightly nervous about how earnest his voice sounded to his own ears.

They swung in silence for a minute, and Cyrus took the oppurtunity to try and calm his heart and regulate his breathing. Now that he was out in the open with TJ, he felt simultaneously brave and afraid. Seeing him again made the previous night feel realer, like what they had done meant something and mattered. The only worry now was if it still did. If TJ still liked him now the sun was up and they were in the real world, away from the separate plane of existence that had been Andi's party. 

Before the anxiety could properly kick in though, TJ was jumping off the swings and heading around the back again. "Hey Underdog, you aren't getting much air. Want some help?" and before Cyrus could even  _ think  _ to protest, he felt strong hands on his back pushing him hard. He let out a little shriek of surprise despite the warning, his hands automatically tightening to prevent him falling to his death. "Teej! What the fu- frick!" He yelled over the blonde's laughter, shaking slightly as he tried to suppress his own. TJ did it for a second time, but this time he ducked under Cyrus with a cry of "Underdog!", and it was oddly reminiscent of their first meeting at the park. This time, Cyrus couldn't help but laugh at the other's antics, and TJ smiled smugly in front of him.

When TJ didn't reclaim the other swing, opting instead to simply stand about just out of kicking distance, Cyrus slowly bought himself to a halt. When he had stopped fully and his feet were no longer a threat, TJ edged a little closer, until they were basically knee-to-knee. Cyrus' breath caught at the proximity, and then he nearly choked when TJ took his hand from the chain and began playing with his fingers.

"Hey, Cyrus?" he asked, not looking up from where he was tracing his upturned palm with his own hands. Cyrus couldn't think properly, brain short-circuiting as every thought became consumed by  _ oh my god TJ is touching me, TJ is playing with my hand,  _ but he did his best to focus on the conversation. "Hey Thelonius?" he joked, trying desperately to keep his voice even and not show how much the contact was affecting him. TJ looked up and fixed him with a scowl. Cyrus held up his free hand in defence. "What? I think it's cute!" He felt relieved when TJ simply rolled his eyes and shook his head, and unsuccessfully attempted to push down the smile that was tugging at the corner of his lips.

Some of Cyrus anxiety died down, seeing how nervous TJ also seemed to be. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing, but seeing that he wasn't the only one worrying actually made him feel more secure, ironically enough. When it showed that TJ wasn't going to ask his question, Cyrus took a deep breath and decided that it was his turn to take the next step. TJ had his hands, so Cyrus hooked his ankles together behind the other's heels, essentially trapping the blonde in place. It worked. TJ looked back up at him, eyebrow arched slightly in amusement, and Cyrus shrugged. "If I fall off, you have no choice but to catch me now." It worked in making him laugh, and TJ shook his head slightly. "I wouldn't have let you fall anyway." The look Cyrus gave him made him laugh again.

As much as he enjoyed being the cause for amusement, Cyrus really hoped TJ would hurry up and ask his question. While it was true that if he fell, he would fall on TJ and therefore sustain no injuries, taking his feet of the ground and leaving only one hand to support him had increased any chance of him losing his balance in the first place.

Just when Cyrus thinking that he may have to take initiative again, TJ leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Cyrus was struck dumb, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. He probably looked like an idiot, but he couldn't cyrrently process any thoughts at all. TJ pulled back, dropping Cyrus' hand and nervously trying to gage his reaction. "I hope I'm not crossing any lines or anything, but I couldn't think of what to say." He said. A beat. "Cyrus?" he asked, brow pinching slightly at the lack of response. Cyrus blinked, and tried to shake off his shock. "Present. Sorry, I, uh," he really, really could not think. "I wasn't expecting that." It was TJ's turn to shrug. "That was ok, wasn't it?" Cyrus couldn't nod quick enough. "Absolutely, yes." He paused and then snorted. "Wow, we really are  _ not  _ good at communication." TJ grinned back at him, obviously relieved. "The worst." He agreed.

"So," the blonde asked, leaning a little closer "Would it be ok if I did it again?" Cyrus smiled. "Do you even need to ask?" But then as TJ dipped his head, he spoke up again. "Wait. What does this make us?" TJ pulled back, looking confused. "What do you mean?" 

"Like, are we boyfriends, or is this a thing where it doesn't have labels, or is it an experiment-y thing or platonic or-" TJ stopped him, shaking his head with an incredulous look on his face. "You think I just kissed you platonically?" He asked, voice a little higher than usual. Cyrus felt himself blush furioisly. "It sounds stupid when you say it." He grumbled. TJ nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's because it is." He said it matter-of-factly, sighing as he did so. "Wow, I know I already said we were the worst at communicating, but can I say it again?"

Cyrus' nodded. "You don't need to tell me that." TJ lifted a hand to run his fingers through his hair. "Let me try this again." He cleared his throat and held out his hand in a mock-business fashion. "Cyrus Goodman, I'm very gay, and I would like to be your boyfriend." It made Cyrus' heart clench to hear it, and he couldn't have helped the smile that broke out across his face if he had tried. He took his hand and shook it. "Thelonius Jaggar Kippen," this earned him a playful hit to his shoulder "I am also very gay, and I would like you to be my boyfriend. "

"It's official then." TJ said with a grin, hooking his pinky with Cyrus' as he stood up off the swing. "Would you like me to draw up a contract of agreement?" Cyrus elbowed him lightly as they started walking away from the swings. "Stop mocking me, I'm your boyfriend, you have to be nice." Saying those words made him feel lighter than air. TJ held his free hand up to his chin, mimicking Cyrus' earlier thinking pose. "Hmm. I don't remember that in the terms. Hey, hey!" he protested laughingly as Cyrus batted at his with his hand. "I'm fairly certain I can file for domestic abuse if you keep this up." He joked. Cyrus rolled his eyes. "Great, he thinks he's funny." 

TJ stopped walking and tugged lightly on Cyrus' hand so that he spun slightly to face him. "Only for you." TJ said, grinning down at him. Cyrus snorted. "So when you're not being the funniest guy in Shadyside, you're being the cheesiest?" TJ's smile softened. "Only for you." He said again, a little quieter this time. Cyrus' cheeks burned red. "Shut up." He said, biting his tongue to try and stop his laugh. TJ's eyes lit up. "Make me " He taunted.

So Cyrus did.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Edit 08/08/19: Ay so it turns out the note at the beginning saying that this would be my only piece of writing in the andi mack fandom was a big LIE. I now have a multichapter hogwarts/animagus au in the works, and i posted the first chapter today, so if anyone wants to head over there and check it out i would be forever grateful xx
> 
> (Come and scream with me over on tumblr [@baguetterights](https://baguetterights.tumblr.com/), I'm reviving the old account)


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